The wind is a fickle source of power. Windspeeds are frequently too low to be of any practical use, so that windpower has generally remained a marginal resource. Since the inception of windpower around 1000 AD, technology has been deployed to obtain the most economical power from wind. The author traces its technical evolution, concentrating on the growth in understanding of wind and charting crucial developments in windmill design. The history of the windmill is focused on North Western Europe, drawing on the origins of the first horizontal windmills in Persia, Tibet and China. Industrial applications such as in textiles, papermaking and mining are examined. Gradually, windmills were improved but were finally eclipsed by steam engines in the nineteenth century due to increased levels of industrialisation. The book concludes with a look at the recent re-emergence of windpower as a viable source of power in the wake of the energy crisis.

This is the first general treatment of windpower in English, covering the unpredictable nature of wind and focusing on the technical evolution and industrial application of windpower.
Reviews
'Hills' Power from Wind, there is no doubt, is the definitive history of the technology developed over the ages to harness the power of the wind ... This scholarly history will be useful to anyone professionally interested in the history of technology.' Benito Muller, Journal of Energy Literature
' ... well written, contains a lot of valuable information with many good pictures, and moreover includes interesting contextual aspects. Thus, it serves as a most welcome addition to the history of wind power technology.' Kristian Hwidfelt Nielsen, Centaurus



Book Information
ISBN 9780521566865
Author Richard Leslie Hills
Format Paperback
Page Count 336
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 607g
Dimensions(mm) 246mm * 188mm * 28mm